From the July 2004 issue of Runner's World
Advanced
You've been a serious runner for several years, have run many races--perhaps even a marathon. You're familiar with fartlek and intervals, and can run comfortably for an hour-plus. Now you want a breakthrough time--and you're willing to put in a rigorous six weeks to achieve it.
The cornerstone of 10-k training has long been the tempo run. Great for stamina-seeking intermediates working their way up the racing-fitness food chain. But not for you. How come? Because a recent study found that short intervals at--not below--5-K and 10-K race pace (roughly, our speed and pace intervals below) produced huge improvements versus tempo runs. (Note: Tempo running produced improvements, but faster running did better still.)
The study, as reported in the U.K. journal Peak Performance, found that "those doing intervals trained faster than the tempo runners and therefore developed better economy, coordination, and comfort while running fast." Which translated into faster 10-K running. Moreover, the interval group spent just 31 minutes during two sessions per week running their reps, while the tempo runners required 58 minutes for their two sessions.
So there you go. That's why we're going to put you on a six-week diet of quick stuff--medium-long on Tuesdays, short and swift on Thursdays. And we're going to make sure you maintain your vital aerobic base, as you'll be doing solid mileage as well.
"Experienced runners often don't do enough of the mileage to support the harder work."
